For France, wind energy is a key element for the development of renewable energies in the country, without which it would not be able to meet its climate targets. Within the wind sector, offshore wind energy is of great importance. France has 354,000 km² of metropolitan maritime space and three working spaces: the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and the English Channel. France's main objective is to work towards a major auction in the future that will lead to the installation of 18 GW of offshore wind power by 2035 and 50 GW by 2050.

This was explained during Energyear France by Michel Gioria, CEO of France Energie Eolienne, who outlined the future steps that will be taken to boost offshore wind in France. Gioria stressed that they have a very dynamic market and that one of France's great successes is that a third of Europe's offshore wind production capacity comes from France, and despite the legal and regulatory issues that brought French development to a halt, now with this new plan there are ambitious objectives and they are working with all the sectors involved to carry them out.

To this end, Gioria explained that it is vital to have the acceptability of all the parties involved and to reach a consensus for the success of the objectives. Two important problems to be taken into account: on the one hand, the migration of birds from north to south; and on the other hand, fishing. On this second issue, Gioria explained that fishing is extremely important in France, and that it was very important to have a dialogue and reach agreements with fishermen so that everyone would be satisfied with the situation.

In addition, in the coming months, the locations and necessary development of the ports will begin to be analysed. Once the analysis and dialogue with all parties has been completed, a call for tenders will be organised, in which between 8 and 10 GW will be offered so that, from 2026, the winners can begin to develop their projects.

This will be the starting signal to try to secure the objectives of the offshore wind pact between the State and industry, thus establishing a roadmap to ensure the supply that France needs to meet its climate objectives. A minimum volume of 2 GW/year of offshore wind energy tenders is targeted for 2025.

For the first time, there are regular volumes (1 GW/year). France invests on both bottom fixed and floating offshore wind with a vision in term of budget. Source: Presentation of Michel Gioria during Energyear France 2023.

Offshore wind pact between the State and industry

These short- and long-term objectives are preceded by the offshore wind pact between the State and industry, which was signed on 14 March 2022 and which already envisaged the objectives described above: 20 GW awarded in 2030 + 18 GW in operation in 2035 and 40 GW in 2050.

This pact also envisages the creation of a large number of jobs in the offshore wind sector. If approximately 7,000 jobs in the sector are already envisaged by the end of 2022 (14% more than in 2021), by 2035 the number of jobs is expected to rise to 20,000.